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Is the following statement true or false? Frameshift mutations affect every amino that follows the point of the mutation.

User Techidiot
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Final answer:

The statement is true; frameshift mutations change the reading frame of the genetic code and affect every subsequent amino acid after the point of mutation, which can significantly alter the resulting protein.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that frameshift mutations affect every amino acid that follows the point of the mutation is true. Frameshift mutations occur due to insertions or deletions of nucleotides in the DNA sequence that are not in multiples of three. This changes the reading frame of the genetic code, which is how the ribosome reads the DNA sequence in triplets, known as codons, during the process of translation to synthesize proteins.

Frameshift mutations can have severe consequences on the resulting protein because they can alter every subsequent amino acid after the mutation occurs. This can lead to the production of a completely different protein or, in some cases, result in a shorter protein if a premature stop codon is introduced. As such, frameshift mutations can lead to drastic changes in an organism's traits or could even result in nonfunctional proteins.

In contrast, other types of mutations like substitution mutations may only affect a single amino acid and have less dramatic effects. However, some substitution mutations can be quite severe if they result in a stop codon occurring prematurely or if they alter a critical part of the protein.

User Amy Brown Greer
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